Turlock murder suspect nabbed after police crash

Cole Millington third suspect in the killing of Amripal Sandhu

Cole Nathaniel Millington

The third suspect wanted for the killing of a 21-year-old man in Turlock was apprehended Thursday after a police pursuit that ended with a crash in Vallejo.

Cole Nathaniel Millington, 23, of Valley Springs had been sought by the Turlock Police Department since February for the murder of 21-year-old Amripal Sandhu. An arrest warrant was issued for him on a charge of murder.

Detectives suspect Millington was an active participant in the shooting that left Sandhu dead on Turlock’s Main Street.

Shortly before 1:30 a.m. Nov. 6, 2013, the California Highway Patrol received an emergency call from Sandhu, who said he was being shot at as he drove southbound on Highway 99, near Taylor Road. About one minute after the call had been transferred by the CHP to Turlock police, reports of shots fired in the area of Pioneer Avenue. Additional reports led officers to the corner of E. Main Street and N. Minaret Avenue, where they found an Acura Infiniti that had run up on the curb in front of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church.

Sandhu was found behind the driver’s wheel with three gunshot wounds. The 21-year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene.

By that night Turlock Police detectives had taken two men into custody for the fatal shooting. Pardeep Singh, 21, of Turlock, and Kultar Singh Dhatt, 22, of Turlock were both arrested on suspicion of murder, shooting at an occupied vehicle, and making criminal threats. Singh is also charged with assault with a firearm.

The gun used in the homicide was later recovered from the lake at Donnelly Park.

On Thursday afternoon two Vallejo Police officers attempted to stop a car that Millington was a passenger in for a traffic violation. The driver of the car, identified as Luis Angel Avena, 22, of Vallejo sped off the officers chasing after them.

The high speed pursuit went through several major intersections before the patrol car overturned and hit a light pole, according to the Vallejo Times Herald.

Avena also lost control of his car, sending it up on a curb and disabling it. He and Millington both tried to flee on foot, but were apprehended and taken into custody.

The two officers in the crash sustained minor injuries and were back on duty later that day, the Vallejo Times Herald reported.